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What is Your Biggest Problem With Cloth Diapers

If only there was a parenting choice…or any choice…that didn’t have problems.

Alas, everything we do involves some sort of troubleshooting at one point or another.

Recently, I’ve shared with you the sore Camden had. All of your dozens and dozens and dozens of suggestions meant a lot to me. Praise God, he did not have a bacterial infection or yeast. I have learned to change his diaper more frequently and put pants on him.

Just an FYI, if you let your baby go outside and play in just a diaper they will get mulch, dirt and rocks in their diaper which will cause uncomfortable irritations. Or maybe that’s just my kid ;)

I am very glad to say that repetitive application of coconut oil (I’m partial to Nutiva

Surprisingly, I get to re-experience some of those same problems over and over. Great.

All of that to say, I want to serve you the best I can and to do that I need to know what problems you are having. I’ve designed a very simple, 7 question survey that I would love for you to take a minute to fill out. It shouldn’t take long, maybe 8 minutes or so.

Your specific answers will tell me where you are at on your cloth diaper journey and how I can serve you there.

Click here to take survey Survey is closed! Thank you for your participation. Results are being compiled and sorted. You guys are amazing! 500 responses in 24 hours!

I very much appreciate your comments but make sure to fill out the survey first! When you get done come back and tell me you did and there just might be a tiny little giveaway for a super fabulous Hoot print Thirsties Duo AIO!

I’ll close the survey at 500 answers and choose a winner at that point. Congrats, Diane C.!!

Thanks!!!

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About Autumn Beck

Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ. She began cloth diapering in 2005 and has experienced many joys and trials throughout the years. You can read more from Autumn over at https://www.facebook.com/beautifullyblessedlashes.

276 Responses to “What is Your Biggest Problem With Cloth Diapers”

Any chance the survey will be open for more input even without a giveaway attached? :) We’ve had our share of issues–the newest one is our 2 year old completely soaking through all of our double-stuffed diapers as soon as she goes (she holds it long enough to drown the diaper, but not long enough to actually use the potty). I don’t think it’s a repelling thing–the inserts are usually completely soaked through, at least in the wet zone. Either way, interested to see the results summed up.

I wasn’t able to take the survey but I wanted to offer a solution to washing diapers in hard water. I live in eastern NC with extremely hard water. I’ve been using Melaleuca laundry detergent for 2 years and have not had a problem with getting our diapers clean. Or my husband’s uniforms either! Their cleaning products are very effective, safer for families and less expensive than other brands. I can’t say enough about them!!

Survey was quick and painless….thanks for caring about us newbies who desperately need you. Okay, not totally new, I’m 5 months in and starting to encounter concerns so you are my guru/obiwan cloth diaper-nobi! You’re my only hope! Wink!

Completed the survey. Sometimes, though, it’s not that finding information is difficult, but that sifting through it is tough. Opinions change, new products are released,… Thanks for providing a great starting place for all of our CD research.

Good Survey.. completed.
Due with #9 in July. I’ve done a diaper service, prefolds and covers, homemade fitteds, hybrids and disposables (I know *gasp!*) Most of my stash is more than well worn out. I feel like I’m starting over since cloth diapering has evolved so much since I began 17 years ago, plus it’s been a 6 year break since I’ve done diapers at all. I’m loving the AIO options.. or should I say my older children and husband are loving that option! I’m still a prefold and cover fan for low cost and simplicity. I enjoy that I have the internet to do research and get info this time around though.

Just finished the survey. Just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderfull information you give. I wish I knew about cloth a lot sooner, but with my baby due in December I’ll definately be using more cloth. Currently, have my 3yr in cloth at night.

I completed the survey. Glad you got Camden’s rash cleared up. Both my baby and toddler are having some rash issues which I think is eczema, I got a few ideas though from reading your post about eczema and yeast, so I’ll be using some of those while trying to sort it out. Your blog was what finally inspired me to start cloth diapering both kids 3 1/2 months ago. In spite of the problems, I love it…thanks for all the great information!

I did it :) Glad your little guys sore healed :) Those Thirsties AIOs are ADORABLE I had used those last. I do have to say I was disappointed though but only because I believe the sizing on them was WAY off. I bought the size ones when my son was about 11-12lbs and he leaked through them just about everytime. I believe it was because the size was a bad fit for him. Id be willing to try them out again in a different size just so I can change my opinion about them. I hate to judge something on personal error (though like I said I believe their sizing was grossly misjudged) but I really wanted to like them because they were so cute. Either way I wanted to take the survey because I definitely love your blog and am thrilled to help :)

Just took the survey! The only problem I have with cloth diapering is that it’s addicting! It’s supposed to be saving money (and really still is), but I just want to keep buying more! :-)
p.s. I’m convinced that using 100% cotton is a big reason why we haven’t had any real issues. Not with rash, stink, leaking, ammonia, and we’ve never stripped diapers once!

Filled out the survey…I am glad your little is ok. Last fall my then-8-month-old had a bad rash I associated with cutting his first first teeth. When he developed an open sore I took him to the Dr. and he mistakenly did NOT diagnose it as yeast. As it was being mistreated the sore got worse. We finally got him the right creams and medication but he now has a scare the size of a dime in his diaper area :(

Just finished the survey! Your blog has been very helpful in finding answers to CD problems. Thanks for the tip about coconut oil! DD has her first diaper rash ever at age 26 mos. We’re a week away from starting potty learning! We were so close to having a rash free babyhood. Oh well!

With my biggest issue…detergent build up/ammonia stink, there is plenty of information out there, however the answer isn’t one size fits all. Everyone has different water, different washing machines (with more or less ability to control the amount of water in the wash), even different sun exposure by where they live. I have tried so many things over the course of diapering two kids (3rd to go into cloth to arrive in June) and this has been my most frustrating experience.

Just took the survey and my biggest problem is I’m just getting into cloth and I’m not sure what to invest in. I like aspects of all the different kinds of diapers and want to try a few before buying to many of one type.

Took the survey…love the short and to the point! I am in between, one who is toilet trained, but not overnight yet, and expecting #4 in October. We have constantly had overnight issues and finally gave in to disposables for his overnights, but ready to bring out my stash of new baby!

Took the survey! I am new to cloth diapering – my first baby is just two weeks old! But I have read every inch of your site and used it to help me get started. We are experimenting with what style we like, what fits our son best, etc. and I check back here regularly to troubleshoot and get ideas. Thank you so much for the wealth of information and your honesty in your struggles – just nosing I’m not the only one is a big help!

I just completed the survey. You’re site was the very first CD site I found over a year ago when we first started CDing. We had ammonia issues when we first started. Luckily we have been CDing without issues for over a year now.

Just finished the survey. Love your website. I found tons of info on ways to deal with my biggest cloth diaper issue. It’s ammonia stink/burns!! Unfortunately I’m still trying to find a method that works for us :( the diapes smell fine until she pees and then it’s awful. I’m almost embarrassed to take her in public lol. Hope to find a solution for us soon!

I took the survey. It was a little difficult narrowing down just one concern! ;) So glad I can find so much help on your site & on fb. I think I got help from you when we had a yeast problem & how to get rid of it without using just plain bleach! Thanks for all your help & sharing your knowledge.

I’ve been battling red bottoms and ammonia stinkies, too… we have HARD water, and I didn’t even think about it when starting cloth diapering. I had to do an RLR soak, and now use Calgon and Tide Original in every wash. It’s made a huge difference. I’m also considering cutting back on using my AIOs, Pockets, and PUL diaper covers, and making a switch over to wool diaper covers, and my prefolds and fitted diapers; perhaps that will help some of the sore bottom issues clear up for my baby!

I took the survey! I am due in June with #5 (2nd to cloth diaper) and am trying to decide what to try next! I currently use and LOVE Flip and BG Pockets. I would love to try new diapers, but didn’t want to spend the money when I didn’t need to. ;) But, now I have an excuse, since I will have two in diapers at the same time! lol

I took the survey. Ammonia has been the biggest issue for us and it seems we’ve exhausted all the suggestions out there… we finally figured out we have to bleach every. single. load of inserts to kill it every time before it has time to fester. It’s a pain and I hate using bleach but not as much as I hate ammonia burns on my poor baby! It is finally under control but sure did take a LOT of trial and error.

I took the survey. I tried last night, and it wouldn’t let me check the boxes but today it worked! Like many others, I have only been using CD for a couple of months and my biggest issues seem to have been cost and microfiber smell

Completed the survey! Thank you for sharing your experiences about cloth diapering. I do not have many friends that use cloth diapers, so reading your blog makes me feel like I am not alone with the challenges that come with cloth diapering.

I took the survey also. I think that’s a great idea to see where your readers are at! I’ve had the biggest problem with leaking. It seems easy to find information on the subject but there is just so much information I feel overwhelmed. I didn’t get a chance to say that on the survey. :)

I also completed the survey. I should have been more specific on the first question. My biggest issue is stink right now. I just bought a HE top loader (our old top loader died). I am still trying to figure out a new washing routine that really gets my dipes clean. (Without having to do a ton of cycles.) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

We currently use Rumparooz and bumGenius 4.0 pockets. After the past couple of weeks and all of the information we have gathered we’re hoping to branch out in to other options as well. Our little lady’s bottom is so much happier in cloth than it was in disposables (she was in preemie diapers for a few weeks, then newborn size for another two before she could even fit in her cloth). Even at a few days old she let us know when there was even the smallest amount of pee in her diaper. Since we switched to cloth she has been much more comfortable and drier, so there are less unhappy moments when she’s wet. Now she just wakes up and coos and gurgles to let us know she needs to be changed : ) Smart little baby if you ask me!

Survey completed. I’m really glad you threw in the EC mention. I’ve been practicing EC for a few months now and I love it. I wish more moms know about it and weren’t intimidated to try. We already made the jump to cloth after all, so you know we’re an ambitious crowd.

I took the survey. I’m not a huge fan of AIOs, but to be fair I have only tried the BG AIO. If the Thirsties Duo is different / better, I’d love to try it out. :-)
Thank you so much, Autumn for all of your wonderful work and advice. This was one of the first places I found when I decided to switch my DD to CD, and I have stuck with you. I added into the survey that I’d like to see more info on cloth trainers because I’ve been researching those lately. Due to my budget constraints, I have to begin building my stash soon. I’m looking very seriously at Blueberry. I like that they are made in USA and have the waterproof outside layer.

Just took the survey. Just this morning my husband took off the nighttime diaper and said WHEW! that stinks! Something about fitteds absorbing a lot of pee. Or all our nighttime diapers doing so. Hey, I’d rather have that than wet pajamas…

Survey done! We CD’d our son (now 3 yo) for a few months when he was around 2, but he’s a big kid and grew out of the OS AIO & pockets we were using. We didn’t want to invest in more dipes at the time b/c we thought he was ready for potty learning… he wasn’t and now I wish we would have found some toddler sized CD’s, as we have been using disposables with him for another year. Baby #2 should make an appearance in a week or two (or three…) and we will CD from birth. I’m really excited about all the new things I have learned and (think) I am ready for the challenges that will come up! P.S. I have always had a Thirsties Duo AIO on my list, but have haven’t gotten one to try yet. ;)

Took the survey :)
Biggest problem is rashes and what to use on them! My son had 2 sores and come to find out it was staph :( Thank goodness Camden’s didn’t get as bad as my sons. I’m gonna invest in some coconut oil, for sure now!

Took the survey. I feel like there are plenty of people willing to give advice but EVERYONE’S advice is different, so with one question you get a hundred different answers and I don’t have time to try them all : ) Ack!

I took the survey. I have been reading your blog since I was pregnant with my daughter. You have made CD easy for me. I have had issues with stink but I had read about things to try before that happened. I know now that if I use Bacc-out my diapers don’t stink!

Took the survey. Number 1 issue is a night time solution that doesn’t cause my son to tell me it hurts! Got a leakproof solution, but his night time diaper is saturated in the morning and he tells me it hurts sometimes too! :(

I took the survey–my biggest issue is deciding between all the CD choices. So many brands! So many options! It’s a good problem (there’s a CD for every shape/size baby), but it’s hard to choose! So my stash just keeps getting bigger, which is why I totally need the owl-print AIO!

Took the survey!
Would love to see a cloth diaper (urban) dictionary or slang de-coder for is newbies…but everyone has been super supportive and nice about helping us learn the ropes!
*crosses fingers* heres hoping I win!

I took the survey. I have t issues that im battling. First is my son is getting red marks from his diapers tha i hate to see when i change him. they just cant be comfortable. second is the anmonia. i do pretty good at getting rid of it with a 1/2 cup of vinager in my 1st cold rinse which i dont put my pockets or covers in :) then i was with allens natural ( only a teeny amount) on hot and then i cold rinse again. only twice now ive had to wash in hot and rinse again. id really love to find a way to cut that second waash out for good! thanks for the opportunity. would love to try an aio we dont have any :)

I took the survey! We love referring to your site, it was one of the reasons that have me the extra nudge to go ahead and try cloth diapering with my first child. Even though you run into issues you have it a light that made me excited even more so than I already was while I was still nervous and waking with others skepticism. Our biggest issues is microfiber stink, we just moved our 2 month old into our bumgenius 4.0 stash from my daughter most f which she only wore for a few months before she was potty trained. I never realized the stink until I pulled them out and after sitting for months waiting to be used they were super stinky! I can’t seem to get it out, I suppose I’m not being to aggressive about the issue either. Can’t I just get the cure all?!

I took the survey! My biggest problem is stink, fit and frequent diaper rash. I have a healthy, pudgy baby, but with my pockets with the snaps it can be hard to find the right fit that allows movement without too much belly hanging out the side haha. Overall I’m very pleased with them though.

Thanks for giving us the opportunity to voice our concerns and also ask what we would like to see more of through your survey. Your blog has been a huge help through my cloth diapering experiences! Thank you!!!

I took the survey!
My biggest issue is rash/yeast. We had an ammonia issue in the beginning but never had rash issues till we moved and the new house has a front loader. I believe she has had yeast now off and on for almost 6 months (when we moved to the new house) and we also had an ammonia burn situation once. But now at the first sight of rash we switch to disposables and I wash wash wash rinse rinse rinse treat treat treat sun sun sun but it seems as soon as input her back in cloth it comes back! I’m at my wits end and am feeling pressured (mainly from myself) to give up! I just don’t know what to do. There’s loads of info on the Internet but they all contradict each other so it’s hard to figure out what’s right and wrong!

I had the yeast thing keep coming back. Tried sunning, hot water, tea tree oil, etc. I posted on diaperswappers and everyone said, just do the bleach. We did it once with a ton of rinses and yeast hasn’t come back!!

I agree, there is a lot of conflicting info out there. What has worked best for me is contacting the manufacturer for ideas first. Then if their suggestions don’t work, I either follow advice I’ve read on here or in the little booklet that GMD gives out. The priorities of Autumn and GMD (Karen) match up the best with what I am trying to do ~ put CLEAN diapers on my daughter. You can also email GMD for more personalized suggestions. Good luck!!

I filled out the survey and would fill out more in the future for you as well. I totally agree with what has already been said about using your website to tackle issues. What a great resource you are to the cd community. My biggest issue at the moment is having two kids that don’t fit in OS and having a stash that is 95% OS! I know my 6wk old will be in them soon but my son who is 26 months and 36lbs is not even close to trainers and I can’t shell out more cash for a full time lg stash :(

We are new to Cloth (about 3 weeks) but we’re going strong and loving every minute of it. I took the survey although I’m sure as my experience grows my answers will too. I did the biggest ‘no,no’ I bought a bunch of pocket diapers and have spent the last few weeks making my own inserts since both y girls 22 months and 3 months seems to wet or mess right through them. I’m using 2 layers of microfiber terry for the outside and two layers of super absorbent towel terry for the inside and they have been fantastic. i did notice that although I used bac-out right from the start the diapers didn’t smell clean so know I’m using no enzyme and rinsing with vinegar then washing with dawn. If there is another easy way to get that really clean smell every time I’m all ears! thanks in advance for any info.

I took the survey :) I hope it helps you! I hate that I have to use sposies at night, but right now don’t feel like I have an option. The only diapers I have that work overnight only work for 1-2 nights without causing problems and that’s only the first 1-2 days after I strip them. :(

I did the survey. Just couldn’t decide if my #1 problem was microfiber stink, nighttime prefold morning aroma, or wing droop and bulk. Maybe all are equal to me. We are still trying to stick it out though and figure it out as we go. I love getting your emails and reading all the info you post. Thanks!

I took the survey! I gotta say that I totally understand
when you mention the stuff (mulch, rocks, dirt, etc.)
that gets in the diapers unless they’ve got pants on.
One of my gripes (beyond the wash routine & good ole
HE machine hating) is splinters in my pocket diapers.
My boys slide on their butts all over my deck and gather all
kinds of splinters in their diapers, which I later try to coax out.
I guess that’s more of a deck gripe than a cloth diaper
gripe, though. :)

I took the survey! My main issue with cloth concerns laundering. I am terrified that I will screw something up while laundering! I read so much about mamas having stink issues, having to try 37 different detergents before something worked for them, etc. Also, there are so many conflicting opinions out there and so many different individual situations that you can’t just have one way to do it. I feel blessed to have not had any problems at all so far & to have only used 1 detergent. Tiny bubbles was the first I ever tried, it worked and I stuck with it. I just ran out and, due to finances, had to put off ordering more. I’ve had to do 2 washes so far in my homemade detergent and I am on pins & needles and just waiting for issues to pop up! LOL thankfully, my tiny bubbles should be here next week, so I don’t need to do too many more washes without it!

Thank you, Autumn, for your enthusiasm, your dedication, your experience and your passion for sharing all that with the rest of us! Your blog has been indispensable for me and learning about cloth diapering. My baby is 4 months old and my husband and I love using CD’s and that is in large part due to the fact that every time we have had a problem I have found an answer somewhere on your website. I don’t know if we would still be doing it if it weren’t for you! I don’t know how many times I have referred to your “Recommendations” page. Anyway, if you want a survey filled out, I’m there(and I did), if you want me to jump, I’ll ask how high. :) All that to say, Thank you!!!

Took the survey. So far I’m loving cloth diapering and haven’t had any difficult problems but I’m sure they’ll come. Of course there are wonderful blogs like this one out there to help with all my questions.

I took the survey. My biggest problem is a rash on my baby’s bum caused by the prefolds. Second biggest (and maybe related???) is stink issues. She’s currently in disposables until I figure out how to strip the cloth and actually get around to doing it. :(

I use GMD prefolds and started to notice a redness beginning on my DD’s bum, along with a smell to the diapers. I emailed GMD and Karen said they’re not clean enough. I washed them in hot with about 1/3 cup of chlorine bleach, no detergent. Then I did 2 full cycles of hot wash, no detergent, to rinse them well. (I have an ancient top loader that has almost no options.) I use Borax with every wash to soften my water and disinfect and I use more detergent than I used to.
I won’t use Dawn in my machine because of the possibility of breaking the pump with all the suds. I have, in the past, boiled gcloths on the stove with a little Dawn. I no longer use gdipes, but all experiences are good for future info!

Wow that was a quick survey!!! and i get frustrated all the time lately about my cd “issues”….sometimes i find “taking a break” from cding really helps me…and with that i have prob managed to tick off a lot of ppl!!! sorry :(

oh! i forgot! my biggest probs is leaking..ugh it drives me nuts some days and stinky butt…my little ones pees once and i can smell it from a the other end of the house…i have yet to find a REAL solution….just temporary fixes…grrrr

I took the survey – I’m trying to add to my AIO stash because my baby will be heading to daycare in the Fall and they won’t use my beloved Grovia AI2s (or will as single use diapers only and I don’t know if I want them getting that worn out). I only own 6 AIOs which is clearly not enough.

My biggest problem is other people. I guess the easiest way to explain this is to bring it up in another sense. I have a friend who wonders why I fight with my children to wash the dishes. Why use reusable dishes if it causes so much strife. Because The reasons bother me, Why teach my children that they have NO responsibility for what they do, everything has a chain reaction, EVERYTHING! There is no “magic solution” that will make all the mess go away. You have to put out what you put into things. My parents HATED my cloth diapering use, til they had to take care of my family, not having to pay for diapers (or bottles for formula use, etc) suddenly made life so much easier for THEM, but only after THEY had to be bothered by the alternative. They weren’t always so supportive, until it hit THEIR pockets…….I get a lot of flack from other people. Same nonsense,……I ignore it…..no paper or plastic please, just let me have a real pot and plate & we’ll get along just fine, thanks!